The Day It All Began
by cookingastory
Summary: Post 5x10 - Gail tells Holly about adopting Sophie over dinner. Will it be a happily ever after for them? Or will life separate them all over again? Current One Shot - might pursue if people like it.


**The Dinner Date **

Gail sat at Holly's breakfast bar watching her mill around the kitchen cooking frenetically. She was wearing a grey cashmere dress, she was making an effort but all Gail could think about was the black cloud hanging above her head, the lie she had been carrying with her since yesterday. Gail adjusted the cuff of her shirt yet again, before flashing a quick smile as Holly approached with a spoonful of sauce for Gail to try.

"Will you try this for me, it was hard to find a pasta sauce that didn't have tomatoes in it." Holly smiled radiantly as Gail leant forward to taste the creamy concoction. It was delicious and the thoughtfulness of her soulmate touched Gail. She quickly caught Holly's wrist pulling her across the bar for a soft kiss. Holly sighed into the kiss her tension easing.

"Were you that nervous about the sauce?" Gail asked gently as their eyes locked. Holly bit her lip, shaking her head silently.

"We've done this relationship all wrong. We've fought over stupid things and friends and I just…just. Well I love you dammit." Holly admitted happily a single tear rolling down her face. Gail's soft fingertips brushed from her face as she giggled relieved.

"I love you too. You have utterly…changed me Holly Stewart. 6 months ago I was a frustrated, misunderstood, cheating bitch and now well I'm a love sick fool who has a penchant for helping people in all manners of life." Gail professed accepting gratefully another kiss from Holly enjoying the uneven thrum of her racing heart.

"I must look after the sauce. I will not screw up our first dinner date back together." Holly giggled, the previous tension gone. With her back turned Gail closed her eyes biting her lip. She was holding the atomic bomb that would blow up this honeymoon bubble they both found themselves in. _Sophie_.

But strong in her resolve Gail inhaled deeply steeling herself to possibly lose the love of her life. When Holly turned plates of food in hand she swallowed stopping in her tracks putting the plates down. Gail's eyes, her ice blue open eyes, told her things Gail never would.

"What just happened in the last thirty seconds?" Holly whispered her palms beginning to sweat as she reached for the bottle of wine breathing on the counter pouring them both a glass. Gail remained silent, grasping for the last few seconds of this wonderful precipice they stood on. Looking up she smiled, it reached her eyes slowing Holly's anxiety slightly.

"There's something I have to tell you. I lied to you yesterday." Gail stumbled trying to find some inner strength as she watched Holly stand up a bit straighter distancing herself.

"You were on a date weren't you. You're seeing someone else." Holly said quietly, nausea quickly replacing the butterflies in her stomach.

Gail barked out a laugh giggle awkwardly before shutting her mouth and shaking her head. Her eyes were serious unnerving Holly completely.

"Okay so you aren't seeing someone…what did you kill...-"Holly started confused.

"I'm starting to adopt a little girl named Sophie." Gail blurted out. Reaching for the wine instantly she gulped down half of it before facing Holly's expressionless face.

"As in, I've been accepted. It's going to take awhile, but I'm going to…. I'm going to be a Mom Holly." Gail swallowed tensing her jaw and arching her shoulders proudly. Being truthful was necessary and adopting Sophie was nothing to be ashamed about Gail reminded herself.

Holly hadn't moved from her position of standing holding her wine glass staring at Gail with a blank expression.

"Are you okay? Should I slap you or something?" Gail asked concerned leaning over to put her palm over Holly's bringing her out of her trance.

"No...No I'm okay. So wow, adopting a little girl. Who is she?" Holly asked clearing her throat drinking some more wine.

"I met her mother, a murder victim a month ago. I later found her daughter Sophie looking for Mom who was already dead. We became close." Gail explained smiling as she pulled out her phone bringing up a photo of herself and the little girl at the park yesterday. She slid it across the table watching as Holly picked it up and smiled brightly.

"She's delightful. You look so happy." Holly remarked happily handing the phone back to Gail before biting her bottom lip again.

"I'm wondering where this leaves me Gail. Was this supposed to be a goodbye dinner?" Holly asked nervously shuffling her feet trying to keep it together.

Gail looked down staring at the marbled surface of Holly's breakfast bar. She felt Holly's index finger lift up her chin giving her a small smile.

"I can't see you sad anymore my love. Please just tell me." Holly whispered sadly.

"It leaves you wherever you want. But I'm doing this." Gail said strongly, tears rolling down her cheeks as she waited with bated breath.

"I don't understand?" Holly asked confused. Gail took her hands in her own kissing her knuckles.

"I'll be more clear then. I love you; you love me. I trust you; I hope you trust me. But Sophie doesn't have time for us to go steady for a year and get married and then go get her. I won't risk giving her to the system Hol. I'm sorry, this isn't happening the way I imagined it would." Gail confessed her shoulders easing as she let go of the truth.

Holly moved round the counter pulling Gail into a tight embrace. "I might be wrong but I think you just asked me to have a child with you." Holly mumbled into Gail's neck her emotions unclear. Gail pulled back cradling Holly's face in her hands.

"My answer is yes Miss Peck. On the condition that we make a few promises." Holly answered pulling Gail off her seat and into the middle of her living room.

"Okay well that sounds great! Like what?" Gail burst excitedly. She was going to get all she wanted. Holly and Sophie. Together all of them as one unit.

"Number one, we always talk to each other about everything to do with our relationship from now on. No more cat in the tree and no more cold shouldering or other teenage behavior." Holly vowed holding out her pinkie finger making Gail giggle as she wrapped her pinkie around Holly's clenching it.

"Deal, what else?" Gail asked leaning in for a kiss before Holly pressed her finger against her lips stopping her.

"You move in, today. And I meet Sophie at your next meeting with the adoption agency." Holly whispered watching as Gail's eyes shone with fresh tears. Gail simply nodded her voice taken from her.

After a few soft kisses Gail felt herself relax into Holly's arms snuggling into her chest as they stood slow dancing to no music. Looking up she thanked whatever lucky stars she had that she and Holly found their way back to each other.

"You really want to meet her?" Gail double checked. Holly smiled placing a soft kiss on her nose.

"I always wanted children in my future. I guess it's here now and I'm glad it is with you Gail. So yes I really want to meet her." Holly promised her own eyes shimmering with tears.

"Look at us, we're like the stereotypical lesbians moving in and having a kid right as we get back together." Gail giggled earning a pinch in the side from Holly making her yelp out of her embrace.

"There is nothing typical about us." Holly winked as she yanked Gail forcefully into her bedroom closing the door with her foot as Gail splayed herself out on Holly's luxurious bed.

"So which side is mine?" Gail asked sweetly as Holly stood beside the bed the full weight of the day hitting her. Smiling at Gail she crawled onto the bed beside her giving her a quick kiss on the mouth.

"Wherever you want. I'll sleep as close as I can get to you." Holly vowed as she felt Gail's nimble fingers pulling her dress zipper down her back sliding it off her shoulders.

It was a quiet, sensual act undressing each other but not overtly sexual as they stripped down to their underwear climbing under the covers the duvet over the top of them like a tent.

"Anything you want to talk about Hol?" Gail whispered as they were clouded in darkness.

"I'm a little scared, I think my life started today. But I love you that much I know." Holly whispered back. As if on instinct they met in the middle for a kiss and such was this day remembered as the day it all began.


End file.
